Chinese official gets death term for graft

Beijing, April 24 (IANS) A former official in Chinese metropolis Shanghai has been sentenced to death for taking bribes exceeding 15 million yuan (around $2.5 million).

Chen Meng, former deputy chief of Putuo district, was sacked in September last year, when disciplinary inspectors found him guilty of bribery, the Shanghai Daily reported.

The man accepted the bribes after he was promoted to the job.

Prosecutors in a people’s court in Shanghai said the 49-year-old Chen took advantage of his position as deputy chief of Songjiang district between 2003 and 2011 to help others win construction contracts.

From 2004 to 2008, he received the bribes for land transactions and road and bridge projects.